Sulzer is capturing large amounts of carbon dioxide emissions per year at SaskPower’s coal-fired Boundary Dam Power Station
Sulzer has used its mass transfer equipment to capture hundreds of thousands of tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions per year. This is at SaskPower’s coal-fired boundary dam power station plant in Canada. Carbon dioxide emissions are captured after being separated from other flue gases; this enhances oil recovery at local oil fields.
Sulzer has claimed this development is a world's first large-scale carbon capture operation at a coal-fuelled plant. The plant has put its trust in Sulzer’s technology and expertise in the matter.
Suzanne Thomas, Sulzer’s executive chairwoman said: “As governments, industry and local communities around the world strive to reduce emissions, they are still challenged to meet the energy demands of their communities. Our solutions serve to bridge these competing requirements by reducing emissions, enabling recycling and circularity, and improving operational efficiency.”
Prior to employing Sulzer’s technology at the plant, it was emitting approximately 1.3 million tonnes of carbon dioxide per year. Since Sulzer’s addition, the plant has reduced emissions significantly whilst still creating enough electricity to power approximately 100,000 Canadian homes.
Starting in 2025, Sulzer’s new ‘cutting-edge’ technology mellapakCC and mellatech will be used on the plant. These technologies have been designed specifically to give maximum capture efficiency at the lowest specific pressure drop.
Overall performance is benefited by this as it reduces energy consumption. This can save many plants a lot of money, with current local electricity costs being 20 Canadian cents per kWh, the 10 mbar pressure drop reduction can save nearly CAD$500,000 annually for 115 MW coal-fired power stations.
